Fresh FIction Box Not To Miss
Philip William Stover | Strawberry Roses
Author Guest / May 29, 2020

Author Philip William Stover joins us today with this fun video blog! Check it out, and learn more about his book below.  THE HIDEAWAY INN by Philip William Stover Seasons of New Hope Carina Adores is home to highly romantic contemporary love stories where LGBTQ+ characters find their happily-ever-afters. No one in the charming river town of New Hope, Pennsylvania, needs to know that Vince Amato plans on flipping The Hideaway Inn to the highest bidder and returning to his luxury lifestyle in New York City. He needs to make his last remaining investment turn a profit…even if that means temporarily relocating to the quirky small town where he endured growing up. He’s spent years reinventing himself and won’t let his past dictate his future. But on his way to New Hope, Vince gets stuck in the middle of nowhere and his past might be the only thing that can get him to his future. Specifically Tack O’Leary, the gorgeous, easygoing farm boy who broke his heart and who picks Vince up in his dilapidated truck. Tack comes to the rescue not only with a ride but also by signing on to be the chef at The Hideaway for the…

Chelsea M. Cameron | Title Challenge: THE GIRL NEXT DOOR
Author Guest / May 26, 2020

The Girl Next Door is a romance about coming home, even when that’s not in your plan. Iris Turner has to move back in with her parents after burning out in the big city, and she’s none too happy about being back in her small Maine town. That is, until she locks eyes with Jude Wicks, who just happens to live next door. Jude is a lobsterwoman, rides a motorcycle, and is full of all kinds of intrigue for Iris. Her plan is still to leave as soon as she can, but they say life happens when you’re busy making other plans. T is for trust your instincts. H is for hot sexytimes! E is for even more sexytimes! * G is for get the girl! I is for Iris! That one was easy. Too bad I didn’t have a J in the title. R is for remember your past, but don’t let it consume you. Jude learns this one for herself. L is for LOBSTER! Obviously. They play a huge role in this book.  * N is for not every failure is bad. Iris learns this one the hard way. E is for even strong people need support. X…

Kevin van Whye | Title Challenge: DATE ME, BRYSON KELLER
Author Guest / May 22, 2020

D is for Dare. Everything in this book starts because of the dare that Bryson Keller accepts. A is for Anticipation. Kai starts to anticipate the time he spends with his fake-boyfriend. T is for Truth. Kai desires to live his truth. E is for Empathy. Kai is surprised by how empathetic and understanding Bryson Keller is. * M is for Music. Both Kai and Bryson connect over their favorite band. E is for Embarrassed. Kai blushes a lot, a fact that Bryson finds cute. * B is for Bryson Keller. The swoon-worthy love interest. R is for Romance. This is a gay Rom-Com. Y is for Yearning. Being a closeted teen can be lonely. S is for Sexuality. This is a coming out story. O is for Open. Kai and Bryson slowly open their hearts, and themselves, to each another. N is for Now. Kai decides to live in the ‘now’ with Bryson. * K is for Kissing. ‘Nuff said. E is for Endure. Kai and Bryson endure trials & tribulations for their happy ending. L is for Life. Kai’s life is forever changed by the dare. L is for Love. This is the story of two boys falling…

Allie Therin | 20 Questions: STARCROSSED
Author Guest / May 21, 2020

1–What’s the name of your latest release? Starcrossed 2–What is it about? It’s the middle book in my Magic in Manhattan trilogy–not a standalone, but part of a 3-book romance series where two men from different classes fall for each other, fight to be together–and save 1920s New York from some very dangerous magic. 3–What word best describes Rory? Loyal. It’s hard for him to trust, but when he does, it’s for life. 4–What makes Arthur irresistible? He’s hiding a very soft heart under his playboy facade and always puts the safety of others above himself. 5–Who are the people your main characters turn to when they need help? Arthur always turns to his best friend, Jade. Rory doesn’t ask for help, even when he needs it, because he’s had to rely on himself for a long time. But maybe with Arthur and the crew in his life, he’ll eventually learn how. 6–What do you love about the setting of your book? New York is a city I visit often and there’s so much to love–the diversity, the history, the food, the architecture. I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with the 1920s, if I’m honest. I love the…

Annabeth Albert | Author-Reader Match: BURN ZONE
Author Guest / April 28, 2020

Instead of trying to find your perfect match in a dating app, we bring you the “Author-Reader Match” where we introduce you to authors as a reader you may fall in love with. It’s our great pleasure to present Annabeth Albert! Writes: I write hot men in dangerous situations! More specifically, I write contemporary LGBTQ romance, mainly m/m pairings with bi/pan/ace/demi rep and more.  I love books with heat, heart, and feels amid exciting backdrops. In my latest, BURN ZONE, I’m launching my HOTSHOTS series about smoke jumpers and wildfire fighters in Central Oregon. This series features burning hot chemistry, some of my favorite tropes with fresh twists, and a dedicated community of first responders who band together to keep the place they love safe. Fans of my OUT OF UNIFORM series will like the “band of brothers” feel here! And book one, BURN ZONE, is an older brother’s best friend romance with a forbidden twist as an upbeat newbie smoke jumper takes on the older, grumpy veteran he’s crushed on for years. About: Like long reads and deep feels that linger after the last page? Like your authors with bulging backlists and well-honed plots? Want sexy excitement without sacrificing…

Jennie Davids | Title Challenge: INKED WTH A KISS + Giveaway!
Author Guest / April 14, 2020

Thank you for having me here to share some details about my new release, INKED WITH A KISS, the second book in my Thorn & Thistle series. In INKED WITH A KISS, tattoo artist Jamie and social worker Sierra have both come to rely on themselves more than anyone else, but a future together will mean letting their guards down and accepting each other as a safe place to fall. I is for irresistible. That’s what they are to each other. N is for new. Sierra introduces Jamie to new experiences, like a picnic under the stars. K is for kinks. Can freckles be a kink? Well, Sierra’s are for Jamie. E is for enthusiasm. Sierra has lots of it. D is for discovery. They discover in each other exactly what they need. * W is for worry. Jamie is a worrier. Thankfully, Sierra is going to help her with that. I is for independent. Sierra is independent and proud of it. T is for tattooer. Jamie is a tattoo artist and Sierra is her most challenging client. H is for help. With a little convincing Jamie is helping Sierra with a fundraiser. * A is for age gap. Twelve…

A.M. Arthur | HARD RIDE
Author Guest / February 18, 2020

Thanks so much to the folks here at Fresh Fiction for having me today to talk about my new release, HARD RIDE, the fifth book in my Clean Slate Ranch series with Carina Press. Single guy Derrick Massey is facing a long summer of five family weddings, and he needs a fake boyfriend to keep his family off his back about settling down. Quiet cowboy Slater needs a place to stay in the city while he heals from a broken ankle, and what starts out as an arrangement starts to feel more like the real thing for both men. HARD RIDE was my very first time writing the fake-relationship trope, and I had so much fun I’m definitely doing it again! I have no idea why I waited so long. Maybe I just needed the right couple to pop up, and they definitely did in Derrick and Slater. Both men have been part of the Clean Slate Ranch series since book one, especially Derrick, who’s made an appearance in every single book so far. Slater was mostly a name or figure in the background, so when it came time to write about another ranch cowboy, he was the perfect…well, clean…

Rachel Reid | Exclusive Interview: TOUGH GUY
Author Guest / January 13, 2020

Welcome to Fresh Fiction, Rachel! Please introduce yourself and tell us about your latest novel, TOUGH GUY. Thanks for having me! TOUGH GUY is the third book in my GAME CHANGERS m/m hockey romance series for Carina Press. It’s sort of a second-chance romance story, but the first-chance never really happened so I don’t know what exactly you would call it. Second chance at a chance? Ryan was billeted by the Salah family when Ryan was a 17-year-old hockey player in Halifax, and he developed a crush on their son, Fabian. They reunite many years later as adults in Toronto. Ryan Price is a professional hockey player and has worked hard for the success in his life, but he still feels like something is missing. You’ve even described him as a “giant sad teddy bear.” Tell us more about Ryan! Ryan is a reluctant enforcer in the NHL, which means his role on the team is mostly to be physical and to fight other players. He’s good at it, but he hates doing it. He has also been traded a lot, so he’s never really felt settled anywhere. Adding to that, he suffers from an anxiety condition that makes him…

Jayce Ellis | Exclusive Interview: JEREMIAH
Author Guest / January 6, 2020

Welcome to Fresh Fiction, Jayce! Please tell us about yourself and your new book, Jeremiah. Thank you so much for having me. I’m a California native who found her way to the East Coast for undergrad and law school, met a boy, and stayed. I still shake my head at myself for that one, but we’re disgustingly happily married so I guess it worked out okay. Before our wedding a few years back, I said, I’m going to write a love letter to my husband in the form of a story! And that spawned the idea of Jeremiah, which is my first full-length novel. Because apparently, I’m a bit long-winded. . . Jeremiah Stewart is a young gay man who is still in the closet, but when he meets Collin, an enigmatic hot guy, he wonders if he’s ready to finally come out and live his life freely. What are some of your favorite things about Jeremiah? What surprised you about him while writing this book? Jeremiah is, at his core, a mama’s boy. He adores her and doesn’t want to do anything to upset her or make her life difficult or put more on her plate, and I love…

Susan Mesler-Evans | 5 Books That Need a Netflix Adaptation Yesterday
Author Guest / October 21, 2019

With the success of binge-worthy content like To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, Dumplin’, Good Omens, The Handmaid’s Tale, and Anne with an E, streaming services are becoming the new go-to when you want to adapt a book. Now that Netflix has snatched up the rights to Leigh Bardugo’s Grishaverse, I’ve started thinking about what I’d like to see them tackle next. Here are five of my favorite books that I think Netflix could do justice. The Hearts We Sold by Emily Lloyd-Jones This is a melancholy urban fantasy about a girl who makes a pact with a demon for tuition money. (Honestly, if it were me… I’d consider it.) Agreeing to serve the demon for two years, Dee quickly finds herself in over her head, but at least she’s not alone – she’s also working among some other hapless teenagers who made similar deals. She finds herself falling in love with one of her fellow charges, but she’s determined to ignore it, especially considering there’s no guarantee she’ll survive the length of her contract. This book has become one of my all-time favorites, and I think a movie adaptation would give it some much-deserved spotlight. And who knows?…